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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 15) released the latest grading of water quality of 33 beaches.
Thirty-two beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and one was rated as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach Kwun Yam Beach
Butterfly Beach Lo So Shing Beach
Cafeteria New Beach Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Castle Peak Beach Middle Bay Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach Pui O Beach
Chung Hom Kok Beach Repulse Bay Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach Shek O Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach Silver Mine Bay Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach South Bay Beach
Discovery Bay* St Stephen's Beach
Golden Beach Stanley Main Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach Trio Beach
Kadoorie Beach Turtle Cove Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach Upper Cheung Sha Beach
Grade 2 beach is:
Silverstrand Beach
The beach with an asterisk is a non-gazetted beach. All gazetted beaches are equipped with shark nets.
A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. Latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department's website (www.beachwq.gov.hk or www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) on Beach Water Quality or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
Noting that a red tide recently affected Silver Mine Bay Beach on Lantau Island, an EPD spokesman advised the public to check the latest update from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department before swimming.
Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.
Under our present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water.
Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
Grade 4 is assigned to beaches whose last E. coli reading exceeded a threshold figure, irrespective of the geometric mean. Swimmers are advised to avoid these beaches until the water quality improves.
People are advised not to swim at the closed beaches.
The EPD spokesman warned that many beaches were likely to be more polluted than their grades suggested during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, the department has already published a report entitled "Beach Water Quality in Hong Kong 2010". The report summarises the water quality of gazetted beaches in 2010 and is accessible at a dedicated website at www.beachwq.gov.hk and EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, April 15, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:07
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